Qualtrics Acceptable Use and Data Security
The Qualtrics license grants East Tennessee State University permission to use the software solely for University purposes, and expressly prohibits use by third parties. Do not share your Qualtrics account information with a non-ETSU user. If users do not adhere to the Qualtrics Acceptable Use terms, they may be subject to liability.
Qualtrics Unacceptable Use
Users must avoid excessive use of the Qualtrics Mailer. Excessive use is defined as use that is disproportionate to that of other users, is unrelated to academic or employment-related needs, or that interferes with other authorized uses.
Users must fill out a U-SAT Approval & Assistance Form for permission to survey the ETSU population directly via the university master email list. This form DOES NOT replace an IRB application or Form 129. Very few surveys are approved to access the ETSU master email list out of a desire to reduce the total amount of surveys sent to the ETSU community.
The University Survey Advisory Team (U-SAT) may require users to limit or refrain from certain survey projects in accordance with this provision or may request revision in timelines if utilizing the ETSU master list so that multiple surveys are not fielded at the same time. For questions, please contact U-SAT at etsuresearch@etsu.edu.
Branding
When using Qualtrics, themes should be chosen based on your relationship to the University
and the purpose of the survey.
Official ETSU ThemesThe official ETSU template should only be used by ETSU faculty or staff who are distributing a survey/form as an IRB approved research project or on behalf of a department or ETSU entity. ETSU entities that have their own logos (departments, centers, organizations) may create their own theme by requesting an all gold (horiz, png) logo from identity and adding it to the "Department/Org Add Logo Theme". Themes can be found in the “Look & Feel” Section of the Qualtrics survey builder.
Generic ThemesGeneric templates should be used by undergraduate students who are not distributing a survey/form on behalf of a department or ETSU entity. Logos and survey information can be added in the “Look & Feel” section of the survey builder. Select the "Generic Student" theme and modify to your needs.
Generic templates should be used when a survey is being conducted as part of a partnership where all entities involved with the survey need to be identified equally. Each entity in the partnership should be recognized in text, as well as logos
Qualtrics Security
At present, Qualtrics is approved to collect PHI data. However, ETSU is in the process of modifying the policy to allow Qualtrics as an approved platform. If you are planning on collecting PHI via Qualtrics, please reach out to etsuresearch@etsu.edu to ensure that all policies and procedures are in place for you to be able to do so.
Qualtrics has acknowledged that its offerings are HIPAA compliant by entering into
a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with ETSU. This means that if your survey will
involve Protected Health Information (PHI), Qualtrics will handle the PHI in a manner
that is in compliance with the law. PHI generally consists of individually identifiable
medical and health information.
Qualtrics offers Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption (HTTPS) and survey security options like password protection and HTTP referer checking. Their servers are stored in a tier one data storage facility that includes security measures such as biometric entry and double card swipe.
Read more about Qualtrics data security here:
Qualtrics Data Security Documentation
Qualtrics Security Statement
Data Protection Overview
HIPAA Data Resources
Access to Data
In the best interest of protecting data privacy, there will be a limited number of
administrators who have full access to Qualtrics. If you are a researcher and need
to include the number of people who have access to the data in your documentation
to IRB or granting agencies, be sure to list the brand administrators Dr. Kelly N.
Foster and Ms. Morgan Jones Kidd, and Steve Webb.